No Promises
by MegMarch1880
Summary: Elizabeth reflects on Jane's suitor and her two previous suitors. Little does she realize that another suitor will be appearing soon. A tie in with my other stories The Star of the Morning or The Trouble with Fallen Angels.
1. Elizabeth's POV

**A/N: I do not own Jane Austen by any stretch of the imagination. This story was inspired by reflecting on Lizzie's previous suitors and her thoughts on them and looking at some of the parallels to my own life. This story can tie in with both my The Star of the Morning or The Trouble with Fallen Angels. As always my story title is taken from the song No Promises by Cheat Codes with Demi Lovato. I'll freely concede the song works more with Wickham than Collins but I like the title.**

 **No Promises**

Jane's letter had not surprised her. She wished that it had. She wished that Jane was happier right now. She wished that Jane wasn't still struggling with the effects of Bingley's abandonment. She wished that she could tell Jane of what Colonel Fitzwilliam had said about Darcy's involvement but doubted that it would help. The fact of the matter was is that she doubted Jane would feel any better hearing that Bingley had been able to be persuaded to leave her side and thought her family inappropriate than her thoughts at the moment that he simply hadn't loved her.

Though maybe it would help… How should Lizzie know she had never been in love? Her two previous suitors had left their marks and impressions but were by no means a great love affair like Jane and Bingley. They had had something that Lizzie still was not sure how to describe. When Bingley had looked at Jane, he had looked at her like she was the sun or an angel maybe. Jane had been so calm but also so melancholy since Bingley had left. He had spent his time with her sister and then had thrown her to the gossips. While Lizzie resented how men had treated her such as Wickham, Collins, or even Darcy although he had at least generally been honest to her, Bingley had abandoned Jane which Lizzie was not sure was a forgivable offense. Neither Wickham or Collins had captured her heart or much of her interest.

George Wickham very early on had shown his interest in her. He paid close attention to her and was very flattering towards her. He seemed to appreciate her wit and saw Darcy in a similar way to how she did. But then he had moved on to pay attention to Miss King. Now while what she had said to him was true, she knew that handsome young men needed something to live on as well as the poor ones. But the way he had acted about it. That had left a poor impression on her tongue. She wasn't even sure why it did but it had. Looking back she found, even more, flaws in his character. She conceded now that he had not been wholly right. From what Colonel Fitzwilliam said, Miss Darcy was a lovely but shy young lady. Wickham had said that he would not run from Darcy but had avoided the Netherfield Ball. Finally, there was the key detail of him revealing so much of his past with the Darcy family, despite his insistence that he could never darken the younger Darcy till he forgot the elder. Yet the entire town seemed to know and it certainly wasn't her telling everyone.

So perhaps she should not have paid him so much mind or attention. But how could she help it in a way? A handsome man finding her beautiful, more interesting than her sisters after Darcy's stinging comment. Who could resist that sort of attention? Certainly not her, her brain snarkily commented. But that wasn't all of it either she knew. Otherwise, Mr. Collins would have been much more successful as a suitor. Admiration was nice and always appreciated but that was the only trait of Mr. Collins had that she could agree with.

Mr. Collins had admired her yes, after her oldest sister. Now while she adored Jane and freely admitted that Jane was the beauty of the family. She selfishly did want her husband to at least find her equally attractive if not more so then her sister. Her real complaint about Mr. Collins besides his annoying conversation habits and rather an unattractive appearance was the fact the way he treated her and her personality.

Her personality appeared to be a detriment to him rather than an appealing trait. Now while Lizzie knew she was by no means perfect, she did not think it was unreasonable for her future husband to like at least some of her non-physical traits. Mr. Collins had appeared to not get her sense of humor. He had hated her outgoing spirit. The worst was the fact that he wanted her to always agree with him. Lizzie enjoyed a good discussion, and while she knew that respecting and obeying her husband would most likely have to be part of any future wedding vows, she did not think it was unreasonable for her to share her opinions on the topic. She might be right or she might not be, but the fact remained that she had a right to her opinion. Mr. Collins seemed to disagree with that assessment.

She wondered for a second from a voice that sounded much like Jane that if these two men's treatment had bothered her so little why Darcy's one comment had bothered her so much, but she quickly redirected her thoughts. She was not perfect and did not expect her future husband to be. But was it too much to ask for him to like both her beauty and her wit? For him to appreciate her humor and her opinion? For him to love her and be a leader? Was she truly asking for too much?

Lizzie laughed softly to herself, she might be asking too much with what her dowery was and besides that, she doubted these ramblings would help Jane feel any better at all. She had just started "Dearest Jane," when a maidservant came letting her know that Mr. Darcy had come to call…again.

 **A/N: Yes, for the record Darcy is coming to propose. Whether her reflecting on her previous suitors changes her response is up to you.**


	2. Darcy's POV

**A/N: So while No Promises was intended to be more like the Lady and the Tiger where you decide whether the proposal would go better or not. Trini requested the second chapter from Darcy's perspective. After thinking on the topic here is Darcy's perspective. This could still go with The Star of the Morning and The Trouble with Fallen Angels. And I may be convinced to write the proposal that Darcy has planned. I don't own the characters. Thank you so much for the very kind and generous reviews and I hope you enjoy!**

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The walk from Rosings to the Parsonage had never seemed so long. He didn't even know if Elizabeth- Miss Elizabeth would even see him. While he certainly hoped that she had simply not wanted to deal with his aunt today, he certainly wouldn't blame her, she very well could be unwell. But he still wanted to try to see if he could talk with her. It was one of his last chances after all, and he had chickened out of the last one.

He started trying to come up with what to say to her after clearly his plan of coming up with it on the spot had clearly not done him any favors. He would be lucky if she'd ever accepted him after him sounding like an idiot rambling on about the decorations of the house. He knew that he wanted to tell her that he loves her and that he wanted to marry her. Other than that he had nothing. A nagging voice in the back of his brain pointed out that he perhaps should have been working on this longer, which did him no good at this point.

He was tempted to just start talking and just let it all come out. But he knew his last attempt at proposing by just saying what came into his head while nervous had gone poorly and talk of drapery had come out instead of I love you! No, clearly a plan was needed. He knew that speaking was not his strong point, letters, on the other hand, he did quite well with. He started wondering whether he should propose by letter till he reminded himself of the fact that she could not receive the letter because they were not courting nor engaged. Perhaps he should ask to court her, then propose in a few weeks? HIs brain provided no suggestions on how to ask to court her either. So he was back to the beginning.

He knew he was not a perfect man. Many days he wondered whether he was a good one. There was so much to do as the Master of Pemberley, as one of the guardians and primary caregiver of Georgiana, as a nephew, and as a friend. He often was reminded of the fact that man was not meant to do this alone. Elizabeth would be the perfect helpmate. She would help him, stand beside him, and be someone to discuss things with. She was beautiful, witty, smart, and so much more. She also made him tongue-tied when half the time he wasn't sure if she was flirting with him or mad at him. He sighed, perhaps saying all of that might be good to include.

He didn't know, he had no idea how to win a woman's favor. He suspected that if she said yes, a rather big if, he would soon discover the large number of missteps he had made. For that matter, his inner voice pointed out, some of those might get pointed out before she answered. He winced, that was probably true and he knew the probable topic too.

He wouldn't regret separating Miss Bennett and Bingley. Partially because he was not entirely sure that Miss Bennett had been truly interested in Bingley. But there was also the fact that he wouldn't reveal that he had not been sure of Bingley's affection either. Charles was his best friend after all. Yes, Charles had seemed infatuated with his angel. But if Darcy received a new estate for every time that Bingley used the word angel in reference to a young lady he had talked and danced with, well Darcy would own all of England. The fact of the matter was that deep down he was more willing to believe that Miss Bennett had been interested than Bingley had been. If he told Elizabeth that though, she might not believe him. Especially if he got tongue-tied on the topic which he suspected that he was likely to do. If he did get it out properly Elizabeth might start thinking that her sister deserved better, which considering how much Elizabeth adored her sister she might.

But Darcy knew that Bingley actually loves Miss Bennett now. The problem was that Bingley was still refusing to think for himself. Instead of acknowledging that he disagreed with Darcy and his sisters and doing something about it, Charles was sitting in London pouting. Darcy sighed, he would not and could not provide guidance to Charles for the rest of his life. He knew that a gentlemen's life was new for Charles but the man had to figure out his own stance. For that matter, if Charles would actually leave his wing, he might have seen Jane when she had visited Caroline! But that was a problem for another day.

For now, there still remained the problem of how to propose to Elizabeth- Miss Elizabeth. He knew that he had been out of spirits because of leaving Georgiana at the beginning of the Meryton visit and had heard from his valet the stories being told about him in the village. Perhaps he would start by apologizing, then talk about her, and finally confessing that he loves her and wants to marry her. He thought through it, well at least he had a plan. It certainly would help things turn out better than it would of otherwise, several ideas of what he might have said popped into his head and he cringed slightly, he knew he got tongue tied when he was nervous but he suspected that talking bad about her family was not the way to a woman's heart. So an apology, compliments, confession of love. Apology, compliments, confession. He could do this, he would do this for the hope of Elizabeth's hand. He realized he was outside of the door of where Elizabeth was and knocked.


	3. The Proposal

**A/N: So sorry for the wait! It's been hard trying to figure out the proposal. I don't own the characters of course. I hope you enjoy!**

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Lizzie couldn't believe it when Mr. Darcy walked into the room. This was the second time that he had called upon her with no one else around. It was almost as if…and it finally hit her. No man stares at a woman to find fault. If he did that, then Jane would not get so many stares when she entered a room, in fact, if a man only looked at women because they were unattractive Jane would never be looked at all.

So if Darcy was staring at her, then that meant along with his attention to her… That Charlotte had been right. Not that she would ever admit it to her. She smiled up at him, "Mr. Darcy, please do sit down." Lizzie hardly knew how she felt about the man, but he clearly liked her, and she had been at her worst towards him.

Perhaps, perhaps he wasn't quite so bad after all. Mr. Darcy sat down and then jumped back up and started pacing. "Mr. Darcy is there something wrong?" She asked concerned.

Mr. Darcy shook his head, "I'm merely," he cut himself off and started again, "I want to say this right."

Lizzie smiled at him, while mentally chiding herself. This was the man who she herself had called proud and disagreeable? Clearly, she had held Jane to a kinder standard than Darcy. For he seemed more nervous speaking to her then she had ever seen anyone. "Mr. Darcy might I suggest, you tell me the topic you wish to speak to me about? I may be able to further assist you if I know what it is you wish to talk about."

Mr. Darcy's face flushed, "I was wanting to ask… " Then his voice dropped and started quietly muttering to himself. She caught the words "idiot", "coward", and "ask her fool."

Lizzie sighed softly clearly she had been quite blind to miss this, "Mr. Darcy might I make a suggestion? It's something that I've done with Jane that has helped her tremendously."

Mr. Darcy nodded, looking quite embarrassed and sheepish. Lizzie smiled at him softly, "Jane's shy temperament means that at times she has difficulty in conveying her words. One trick that we've used is having her pretend she's talking to me instead of whoever it is that makes her nervous."

Mr. Darcy raised an eyebrow, "But who would I use? And I never would have guessed that Miss Bennett would ever have needed to use such a thing."

Lizzie laughed at that, "Mr. Darcy she used it on Mr. Bingley, almost the entirety of their acquaintance." Darcy's eyes opened widely at that, "As to who to imagine me as perhaps Miss Darcy might be easiest, you seem close to Mr. Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam but as this is your first try hearing a female voice respond might be a bit jarring."

Mr. Darcy nodded and closed his eyes, "Dear Georgiana," Lizzie quirked her eyebrow at the fact that he was going with letter format but acknowledged the fact of whatever worked for him.

"For many months now you have been writing to ask me if I have found you your sister yet. Even after the events of the past year when you were at your lowest and I worried about you while at Netherfield. You still would write at the end of each letter enquiring had I met your sister yet? No, don't worry dear one, Caroline Bingley nor Cousin Anne are it.

Your hopeful to be sister has captivated me since the first time I saw her at the Assembly Room," Lizzie gasped realizing for the first time, what was truly happening, "it was further confirmed when I first met her at a party. She refused to dance with me but not in some insulting manner or as if trying to play games. Merely someone who knew her mind and did not wish to dance. In the months since meeting her, I suspect I've made several blunders I'll only be made aware of if I either describe every encounter to you or she accepts me and puts me in my place.

I never expected her to pop up in my life but she snuck up on my heart in a most unexpected way. Her eyes are captivating, she loves to read, and takes long walks. She has four sisters so will surely be able to be of great comfort to you as well. I'm in love with her." Lizzie strangled gasp broke Darcy from his concentration and he looked up at her, "Did you not realize it Miss Elizabeth?"

She shook her head softly, "I thought you hated me. From your comment at the Assembly Room to you always staring at me, or you're challenging me in discussions. I thought you despised me and my family."

The look on Darcy's face was heartbreaking, "No, no, no I never hated you. I have no idea what I said that makes you think I did. But I do remember that night at the Assembly Hall I was so tired. I had just come from comforting Georgianna after something truly terrible had happened to her. She had been so cruelly misled by Mr. Wickham that I was standing in that ballroom wondering whether I was doing the right thing for my fifteen-year-old sister, I mean Colonel Fitzwilliam and I can provide but I don't know how to protect my little sister's heart! I just wanted Bingley to leave me alone, I'd told him I would be out of spirits if he insisted I go."

Lizzie cocked her head, "Is that why you hate Mr. Wickham? He did something to Georgianna?"

Darcy nodded his head, "He tried to elope with her for her money. The stories that I heard being spread about me in Meryton weren't true at all, but there was little point in worrying about that. I was more worried about my sister until I started to get to know you and then opinion did matter. But I still seemed to mess up. You really didn't know?"

Lizzie sighed, "Charlotte suspected but I didn't believe her. I knew or at least I thought I did what your opinion of myself and my family."

Darcy sighed, "I will freely concede that Miss Lydia, Miss Kitty, Miss Mary, nor Mrs. Bennett are my favorite people at times. But neither is my Aunt Catherine and yet I still visit her on a yearly basis. Your family is very similar to mine, mine just have more titles with their names."

Lizzie laughed slightly at that, "That is an interesting point. So perhaps the better term is you prefer them in limited doses?"

Darcy winced, "Will I be in trouble with you if I say yes?"

Lizzie shrugged, "Why should my opinion matter so? Though if it truly does, then I will concede the fact that I myself sometimes wish for smaller doses of them."

Darcy seemed relieved, "Miss Bennett, I believe you missed a key point, I love you. I was trying to get up the courage to ask if you would be willing to…" And he seemed to lose courage again.

Lizzie smiled at him, "I can't understand how you could love me. I behaved awfully to you at times. Then you left taking an entire household with you. Perhaps if you explained, I might have a better idea on how to answer your unfinished question."

Mr. Darcy suddenly became a rambling fountain of knowledge"How could I not love you? You saw me as an equal and treated me as such. You didn't flatter me or try to agree with me on everything. You made me look at things from new angles new sides. Your eyes would just sparkle. In you, I found the woman that I have been searching for to be my helpmate. I left for Town because of business. I suspect your question about that being why did Bingley leave Miss Bennet. But I did not return because I could not. There was no reason for me to be in the area except to see you and unfortunately my business concerns required London to be where I was. Bingley left for business with Caroline and Louisa leaving because as I'm sure you suspected they disliked the match. In Town, Bingley asked for my opinion on the matter and I admitted that I wasn't sure they were both equally interested. Your sister appeared equally content no matter what was going on and Bingley has gone for several pretty faces before…"

Lizzie nodded slightly, "You doubted his consistency?"

Darcy shrugged slightly, "Yes, and there was the fact that I could not say for a fact that Miss Bennett was interested I truly hadn't paid much attention to the subject and Caroline insisted that she was not. I had no idea and was hardly eager to encourage Bingley the other way if Caroline was indeed right. But instead of standing on his own two feet and deciding to ask Miss Bennet… Bingley has been sitting in his townhouse basically in a temper over it since" Darcy rolled his eyes, "He's been slightly melodramatic about the whole matter acting as if there were armored guards separating them. Though if he would just get up and about he might have even seen Miss Bennet's visit!"

Lizzie snickered slightly at the frustrated visage Mr. Darcy put on, "I wasn't aware you had to deal with a frustrating friend as well as an upset sister. I might have been more sympathetic when I first met you."

Darcy smiled at her seeming quite happy at him making her laugh, "Miss Elizabeth, this conversation I will freely admit has not gone as I expected, but will you marry me?"

Lizzie froze, she kept forgetting about their little side topics that Mr. Darcy was there to propose. She didn't know how she felt about the man. But she did know that he took good care of his people and lands, unlike her father. He was respectable and admired her spirit and her knowledge. She didn't love him, not yet at least. But she could definitely respect him.

"Mr. Darcy, I will freely admit to not realize that you were interested in me until today. And while I may not be in love with you yet, you have every other characteristic I ever dreamed of for my future husband. So if you're willing to have a bride whose working on falling in love with, yes I'll marry you, Mr. Darcy."

The smile that lit up Mr. Darcy's face honestly made Lizzie start to fall in love with him a bit already. He strode across the room and reached for her hands softly. "Thank you, dear Elizabeth. You have made me the happiest man in the world today."

Lizzie had no idea what was next but she did know that her life would be an adventure with this man and she was perfectly content with that.


End file.
